Field-gun having a recoiling barrel.



K. VbLLER.

FIELD GUN HAVING A RBGOILING BARREL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18, 1908.

v Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

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"WEN-FD COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'H CO-IWASHINGTDN I) L K. VO LLBR;

FIELD GUN HAVING A REGOILING BARREL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1908.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

3 SHEBT8-8HEBT 2.

\AATIJESSES K. VTO LLER. FIELD GUN HAVING A REGOILING BARREL APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1908.

1,000,647. Patented Aug. 15,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

afllwuiaw 2 4 M15. 3.1 g QTT F\NEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL VfjLLER, 0F DUSSELDORF, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR 'IO RHEINISCHE METALL- WAAREN- UND MASCHINENFABRIK, OF DUSSELDORF-IDERENDORF, GERMANY.

FIELD-GUN HAVING A RECOILING BARREL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL VoLLER, engineer, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 17 Jiilicherstrasse, Dusseldorf, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Field-Guns Having Recoiling Barrels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to field guns which are trained by turning the barrel around a vertical pivot journaled in the gun carriage. In the majority of known constructions of this kind this pivot is turned in the plane passing through its axis and that of the barrel when the gun is elevated and the result of this movement is that on training the gun the elevation becomes altered and no longer agrees with the elevation scale, so that the gun does not fire correctly. In most cases there is a further inclination of the pivot due to the inclined position of the wheel axis, but with this trouble no account need here be taken since there are many known devices for rectifying errors of aim thus caused. The present invention deals only with the inclination in the plane through the barrel axis at right angles to the wheel axis and with the errors arising therefrom. It has already been proposed to correct these errors by arranging a separate upper carriage on the under carriage, adapted to turn about a vertical axis. In such an arrangement the elevating" mechanism turns with the barrel about the vertical axis and the angle of elevation agrees with the scale for each lateral direction as long as the pivot remains vertical. But if, for example, the trail spade is sunk deep in the ground or if the gun is on an incline, then the old troubles arise, as the pivot may assume aposition inclined to the vertical to a considerable extent. For this reason it has been proposed to journal this pivot pin in a separate intermediate carrier itself ournaled in the trunnions and the barrel is elevated with reference to this intermediate carrier. This latter was in its Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 18, 1908.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911. Serial No. 463,221.

turn adjustable by a mechanism so that the pivot pin could always be kept vertical. It is not always necessary to adjust the pivot pin exactly vertical as long as it is vertical to the sighting line as this in general has only a small inclination to the horizon. If, therefore, the inclination of the ground is only small the mechanism serving to compensate for this inclination can be used for the present purpose, while if the inclination of the ground is great a separate mechanism may be provided for vertically adjusting the pivot pin.

The present invention relates to a gun having an adjustable pivot pin, in which the pivot pin is adapted to turn about the wheel axis and can be adjusted by mechanism. For this purpose, the special trunnion-pins which were necessary for the arrangement referred to above, are not required and it is now possible to limit'the height of the gun in the firing position to the minimum. In the construction herein shown the pivot pin is arranged vertical to the sighting line and moves with the sighting device as this is adjusted.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete arrangement, Fig. 2 is an end view, Fig. 8 is a longitudinal\section and Fig. 4 a cross section through the pivot pin. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of Fig. 1 and Figs. 69 show details.

A sleeve 2 is free to turn on the axle 1 of the running wheels. This sleeve has two coaxial pivot pins 3 at right angles to its axis of rotation, and in a plane at right angles to these pins, two swellings 4 which are cylindrical surfaces coaxial with the pins 3. Each pin 8 enters a perforation 6 in the half of a two part sleeve 5 which is cut away as at 7 (Fig. 8) and otherwise so shaped that it may rock on the swellings 4:. Thus it can turn around the pivot pin 3 to the extent necessary for training the gun and can also turn together with the sleeve 2 around the wheel axle 1.

The sleeve 5 is cylindrical externally and is surrounded by the two parts 9 and 10 of the sleeve which carries the bearers 8 for the cradle 11 on which the barrel 12 slides as usual when it recoils. Thus the cradle 11 and the barrel 12 can be turned to the desired extent around the sleeve 5.

At its ends 13 sleeve 2 is rigidly connected with eyes on the ends of the beams 14:, the other ends of which beams are fixed to the guide plate 15 of the training mechanism. The guide plate is at right angles to the pivot pin 3 and is a segment of a cir cle having its center in the axis of the pin 8. It is carried by the spindle 16 of the elevating mechanism 18 journaled in the cheeks 17 of the gun carriage. Thus it is possible to adjust the inclination of the pivot pin 3 around which the barrel turns when the gun is trained. In the present case, but not necessarily in every case, the elevating mechanism 18 also serves for compensating for the inclination of the ground; the pivot pin 3 is always at right angles to the sighting line.

On the guide plate 15 moves the sliding block 20. To the latter are rigidly fixed the toothed segments 21 with which engage the pinions 22 of the second elevating mechanism 23. On operating the training mechanism 19 the block 20 slides along the table 15 and turns the barrel about the axis of the pivot pin 3, this being rendered possible by the aforesaid construction of sleeve 5. The correct elevation can be given at any time by the elevating mechanism 23, the cradle carrier 8 turning around the sleeve 5. The errors of aim referred to in the beginning of this specification are removed, since the elevating mechanism shares the training movements.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a gun, the combination, with the barrel, and the axle, of a sleeve rotatable about the axle and carrying a pin projecting therefrom at right angles to the axle as a pivot for the barrel in training the gun, means to rotate the sleeve to bring the pivot pin to a substantially vertical position at different elevations of the barrel, and means to elevate the barrel about the sleeve as a pivot.

2. In a gun, the combination, with the barrel, and the axle, of a sleeve rotatable about. the axle and carrying a pin projecting therefrom at right angles to the axle as a pivot for the barrel in training the gun, a second sleeve fitted about the first and encompassing the pin to present a cylindrical surface, means to rotate the first sleeve to bring the pivot pin to a vertical position, and means to elevate the barrel about the second sleeve as a pivot.

3. In a gun, the combination, with the barrel, and the axle, of a sleeve rotatable about the axle and carrying a pin projecting therefrom at right angles to the axle as a pivot for the barrel in training the gun, the sleeve formed with a protuberance on its sides at right angles to the pin, a second sleeve fitted about the first and encompassing the pin to present a cylindrical outer surface and interiorly coned to allow the same to rock in a horizontal plane upon the protuberance, means to rotate the first sleeve to bring the pin to a vertical position, and means to elevate the barrel about the second sleeve as a pivot.

4. In a gun, the combination, with the barrel, and the axle, of a sleeve rotatable about the axle and carrying a pin projecting therefrom at right angles to the axle as a pivot for the barrel in training the gun, means to rotate the sleeve to bring the pivot pin to .a substantially vertical position at different elevations of the barrel, a second sleeve fitted about the first and encompassing the pin, a cradle support journaled on the second sleeve, means to adjust the first sleeve about the axle to bring the pin to a vertical position, and means to elevate the barrel with its cradle support about the second sleeve.

5. In a gun, the combination, with the barrel, and the axle, of a sleeve rotatable about the axle and carrying a pin projecting therefrom at right angles to the axle as a pivot for the barrel in training the gun, the sleeve formed with a protuberance on its sides at right angles to the pin, a second sleeve fitted about the first and encompassing the pin to present a cylindrical outer surface and interiorly coned to allow the same to rock in a horizontal plane upon the protuberance, a cradle support journaled on the second sleeve to tilt thereon in a vertical plane, means to move the first sleeve about the axle to bring the pivot pin to a vertical position, and means to elevate the barrel with its cradle support about the second sleeve.

6. In a gun, the combination, with the barrel, its cradle, and the axle, of a sleeve rotatable about the axle and carrying a pin project-ing therefrom at right angles to the axle as a pivot for training the gun, the sleeve formed with oppositely disposed protuberances each at an angle of substantially 90 to the pin, a second sleeve fitted about the first and encompassing the pin and protuberances to present a cylindrical outer surface and interiorly coned from each end toward the center to allow the same to rock in a horizontal plane about the pro tuberances, a cradle support journaled on the second sleeve to tilt thereon in a vertical plane, a segmental guide plate formed In testimony whereof I have hereunto about the pin as a center in substantially afiixed my signature in the presence of tWo the plane of the axle and fixed to the first sleeve, elevating mechanism to position said Witnesses. guide plate to bring the pivot pin to a sub- KARL VOLLER stantially vertical position, and barrel ele- Witnesses:

OTTO KoNIG,

vating mechanism sliding on'the segmental WALTER JULEsKAMP.

guide plate.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

